Arachnophilia
by Fraxinus Excelsior
Summary: A chronological series of scenes detailing the burgeoning relationship between Rachnera and an aspiring author in a society only beginning to adapt to the existence of non-humans. Other characters may or may not be featured down the road. Rated M for graphic sexual content and some profanity.
1. Writer's Block

**Author's Note: Just in case it wasn't obvious, I do not own Monster Musume or the character of Rachnera. Now that's out the way, enjoy the story! And be warned - detailed descriptions of sexual activities and fluffy adorable romance await.**

 **~~o~~**

I push myself back from my desk, stretching luxuriously and letting out a huge yawn. Blinking and shaking my head, I momentarily consider going for one of the caffeinated beverages I knew to be downstairs, but decided against it. It was still too early in the day for that.

On the screen in front of me is the first chapter of my latest book, _Legions of Doom: Exodus_. You see, I'm an author. I just got my first book - the original _Legions of Doom_ \- published last month, and now I'm working on the second.

"Oh, ho~ney," comes the sultry voice of my girlfriend from downstairs, and I feel a smile tugging up at the corners of my mouth. "I'm ho~ome."

We've only been officially dating for about a week, so it might seem way to early for us to be living together, but I've known her for longer than that and she didn't really have anywhere else to stay. That last part is... complicated.

"Up here!" I call out. Rubbing at my face to try and wake myself up, I stare at the words on the screen in front of me and frown. I'd hit a block at the end of the first chapter, which is probably the earliest I've ever gotten stuck in a story. "How can I introduce this character without making it seem like a total deus ex machina?" I mutter, only half-aware that I'm speaking out loud.

"Working on the next story, are we?" my girlfriend's soft, velvety voice purrs from behind me. I twitch in surprise - I'm still not used to how damn quietly she can move. I hadn't heard a thing since she came in.

I feel her weight as she leans on the back of my chair, one of her hands toying with my hair. "Writer's block?" she coos, and I shiver as I feel her breath on my ear. "Poor baby... I think you need to do something to... relax." She puts heavy emphasis on the last word, and I flush with heat, my heart fluttering as it always seems to do when she talks in that voice.

Trying to keep my voice steady, I manage "W-we've only been dating for a week... isn't it too-"

I stiffen as a few clawed fingers are laid across my lips. "Sshhh," she whispers in my ear. "Don't worry, love. You know we were eying each other up for a long time before that. You've been working ever so hard on those stories of yours, and I think you deserve a reward... and besides, I've been living in the same house as you for a whole week now, and I can't stand it any more."

I have to admit, I've been having some... similar feelings recently. The sugar-and-sin taste of her lips always leaves me wanting more, and there was that time a couple days ago that she got out of the bath and 'accidentally' brushed against me, soaking wet, wearing nothing but a towel.

Something warm and wet gently caresses my earlobe, and I snap back to reality as quickly as if someone had thrown a switch. She's licking me, her supple tongue running all the way up the back of my ear. My body trembles, and I can't help a gasp as her breath ghosts across my skin. "Daydreaming?" she murmurs.

"I, uh..." I stammer lamely, fidgeting in my chair. Ordinarily I like to think of myself as quite an eloquent fellow, but something about this girl... I lose all grasp of the English language around her. It's a wonder that she had feelings for me in the first place, since I turn into a babbling idiot whenever she's nearby.

I feel teeth nip gently at my earlobe, and suddenly my pants are uncomfortably tight. "Yes?" she breathes. "You what?"

"Fuck it," I mutter under my breath, pushing myself up from my chair and shoving it out of the way. My girlfriend plants a hand on her hip, her mouth curling in what I think is a damned attractive smirk, all six of her eyes glowing with a warmth and passion that sets my heart beating faster.

"My, my," she purrs, her eyes trailing down my chest and resting on the now somewhat noticeable bulge in my jeans. "Looks like someone else is getting a bit excited, too."

Yeah. My girlfriend isn't human.

Rachnera Arachnera is her name, but those close to her just call her Rachnee. She is an Arachne, a half-spider race largely misunderstood and feared for their appearance.

I, however, don't mind her appearance at all.

Unable to resist, I take a step towards her, my hand reaching out, brushing away a lock of her hair and caressing her cheek. Her skin is smooth and warm under my fingers, and she leans into my touch, a happy little coo rising from her chest. Her hands find their way to my waistband, sliding up under the hem of my shirt and exploring my torso. Her touch sends electricity arcing across my skin, and I am powerless to do anything as she wraps her arms around my back and pulls me closer.

Our lips melt together and I immediately lose myself in their taste, their softness and warmth. My other hand reaches up, cradling her face as she hums contentedly into my lips, her hands roaming across my back, her claws just barely grazing my skin. We break apart for a moment, coming up for air, and we're both breathing hard. My eye is suddenly attracted to her bosom, rising and falling with every breath, and she giggles. "You could just ask to see them, you know," she murmurs in my ear.

I look up at her, our eyes meeting. I'm taken aback by what I see in them - not just lust, but something more. Something softer.

I lick my lips. "Are... are you sure about this?"

She replies by placing a hand on my crotch, gently massaging with her palm. I gasp and involuntarily buck my hips into her touch, and she leans down, slowly, tortuously licking a stripe up the side of my neck.

My vocal cords no longer seem to be under my control. "Ah... yes..."

"Does that feel good?" she murmurs, squeezing at my arousal and causing my breath to hitch in my throat. She suckles on the side of my neck, first gently, then suddenly hard enough to bruise. My mind goes white for a second, and I shiver uncontrollably as she licks tenderly at the hickey she left. "Do you want more?"

I can't think straight, and don't really care. If I'd had inhibitions previously, I forgot why as soon as her talented hands started working me over. Helpless and loving it, I manage "Yes..."

A clawed finger slips inside my waistband, teasing at the button of my jeans. "Yes what?"

I feel my face burning, and swallow before murmuring "Yes, please..."

She captures my face in her free hand, kissing me hard and needy. The hand at my waistband deftly undoes my button and draws down my zipper, and my jeans fall into a puddle about my ankles. My hands find their way to her exposed midriff, exploring the supple curves of her flesh and moving upward, cupping her breasts still confined within her bra. She hums into my lips, palming the bulge in my underwear.

I take a hold of her shirt and start pulling it up. Our lips separate for a moment, and she obligingly lifts her arms so I can get the shirt up and over them. "Well, someone's being rather forward," she murmurs, a glint in her eyes. She reaches back and unhooks her bra, tossing it aside and exposing her firm, round bosom. Leaning forward, I take one of her breasts in my mouth, my tongue caressing and toying with it, and the other in my hand, pawing and squeezing greedily at the supple flesh. She mewls at the attention, arching her chest into me and grabbing at the back of my head.

After a long moment, she cups my chin and pulls me up to kiss her again, even harder than before. I can feel her desire burning in her lips, and it only serves to kick my own up a few more notches.

She takes a gentle hold of my wrists, and before I have time to figure out what's happening she's bound them behind me with her silk. "You won't need these," she coos, breaking away from my lips for a bare moment before diving in again. Her tongue probes at my lips, and I gladly open my mouth to allow it entrance. I try to move my arms, but her silk is strong and doesn't budge, yet at the same time soft as velvet.

She hooks a couple fingers in the band of my underwear, and I glance down, my hesitant cry muffled by her lips. She draws my last layer of resistance away with a flick, and my arousal springs to attention, freed of its confines. The air feels cold against it for a moment, but then she takes it in her hands and what thought I had left flees.

She is careful of her claws, using her palms and the base of her fingers to massage, rub and pull. My helpless cries of pleasure escape into her mouth, as she still hasn't broken away. After a few moments that seem to exist outside of the normal passage of time, she pulls her face back, and I suddenly become keenly and painfully aware of the absence of her lips on mine. I open my eyes, not realizing I had closed them, and the expression on her face almost sends me over the edge then and there.

All six of her eyes are focused on me, drinking me in like sweet nectar. If it were possible to devour someone with eyes alone, she would certainly be doing so. Her lips, still wet from being locked with mine, are half-open and set in the most adorably horny expression I've ever seen.

"Ho~neeeyyy," she purrs, licking her lips and slowing the ministrations of her hands. "You're so bi~ig." She curls her legs under her and lowers herself to the floor. Before I can ask what she's doing, she's taken me in her mouth and the words die before I can speak them. The inside of her mouth is so warm, and wet, and soft...

I can't think, can't form words, but her name spills from my mouth easily enough. She looks up at me as she swallows my entire length in one gulp, and I cry out, my hands twitching in their bindings, wishing I could touch her.

After a long moment she pulls back, breathing hard, and climbs on top of me, pushing me over but keeping a hold of me, letting me down to the floor gently. She kisses me again, and I feel my legs bound in silk as well. "Just lay ri~ight there," she purrs, running her hands down my chest. "I'll take real good care of you, I promise."

I squirm a little as she straddles me, hanging tantalizingly just above me. She giggles, reaching down to the place where her human body meets her spider body, rubbing gently at the concealing cloth and biting her lip. I become painfully aware of my arousal, and it twitches as I wriggle, pleading to be touched again.

Rachnee reaches behind herself, undoing a clasp of some sort. The cloth around her waist falls away, and I swallow as her core is bared to me. She toys with it, running a finger around its edge and mewling. "I want you..." she whispers, leaning down towards me. "...right in here."

She slowly lowers herself towards me, taking a hold of my member with one hand and guiding it towards her entrance. It nudges past her outer folds, and a moan escapes both of us at the same time. I squirm harder, wishing I could touch and caress and squeeze.

"Sshhh," she purrs, placing a hand over my lips. "Don't worry, love. Just relax. Rachnee will take care of everything." She slides herself all the way down, sheathing me to the hilt inside her. Her walls are gripping at me like a silken vice, and she bites at her finger as she raises herself up before sliding back down all the way. She starts a rhythm, bouncing on top of me and moaning softly each time she falls back down.

I get lost in her rhythm, unaware of the passage of time. The only thing I can see is her, going up and down on top of me, her face twisting in pleasure. I'm not even aware of the sounds I'm surely making, but I can hear her whimpers just fine. Her voice rises, and she utters my name over and over, like a chant. Her eyes are starting to glaze over, and she grabs at my chest, leaving scratches that I'm sure she'll feel bad about later, but I don't really mind.

Her nails dig in with a little more force, drawing little droplets of blood as she arches her back, her legs twitching. She's clearly having trouble with words, but manages "About... toooo..." She trails off into a scream, and I feel her inner walls clench and tremble around me.

The squeezing and vibration sends a jolt through me, and suddenly I become aware of a pressure building inside me, a white-hot rope coiling slowly around my abdomen. "Rachnee... I..." words are leaking from my mouth like water from a cracking dam, and I am powerless to stop them. "Fffuck, you feel so good... I'm going to..."

She slides off and leans down over me, her breasts pressing against my chest and her face only inches from mine. Her hair tickles my face as she grabs a hold of my swollen muscle and starts stroking it, faster and harder than she had been before. She runs her tongue along my jawline and coos "That's right, give it all to me." She breaks off, nibbling my ear, then purrs "Let it go. It's okay. Give me all of your seed."

That does it. My mind blanks, the pressure exploding and sending shockwaves of blinding ecstasy through my entire being. Rachnee's happy murmuring rises in volume and pitch, and she cradles my face with her free hand.

It takes a long moment for my mind to clear, and as the agonizing pleasure washes off of me in waves I look up into the eyes of the spider girl now pretty much laying on top of me. She brings her other hand up to her face, and I flush what must have been a brilliant shade of red as I see it covered in the white gooey testament to my passion. She looks me dead in the eye and starts languidly licking it off. "Mmmm, you taste goo~ood, honey," she purrs. "And I haven't felt that good in a looong time... I might need a second helping later."

~~o~~

As the sun dips beneath the trees, spilling orange fire across the horizon, I watch from atop the roof of my house. I'm pretty high up, but I'm not worried at all about falling. The arms wrapped around my waist hold me firm, and I know they won't let go.

Rachnee nuzzles her face into the side of my neck, watching the sunset with me. She plants a few butterfly-soft kisses along my neck, and murmurs "This was a good day."

"Mmm," I agree, leaning back into her. "Right up until you caught the pizza guy in a web."

She huffs. "Well, I have to practice somehow. It's not my fault he was too careless to notice the snare."

I chuckle, reaching down and rubbing at one of her legs, half-wrapped around me. "I'm just glad none of the pizza spilled on the ground. And at least he got a big tip to make up for it. The look on his face, though..."

She nibbles at my neck a little. "Am I really that scary, love?"

"Not to me, you aren't," I reply, and she hums in content.

"So," I say after a moment of peaceful silence. "What do you want to do tomorrow?"


	2. A Real Date

I walk up to the front door of my house and take the keyring out of my pocket. I stand and fiddle with it for a minute until I find the right key, then stick it in the lock. A quick twist and the lock pops open, and I pull outwards, stepping into the house and shutting the door behind me. I take two steps into the kitchen and open my mouth to call out when my ankle catches on something, and the next thing I know I'm hanging upside-down, my arms tied to my sides by a lattice of velvety cords across my chest.

"Well, well, look what I caught," purrs a familiar voice, and Rachnee walks around the corner in front of me, hands on her hips. "All tied up like a present, and it isn't even my birthday."

I smile ruefully. "Didn't see that one. You're getting better at that."

She huffs. "Normally, a bit of fear is appreciated in one's prey. Squirming around and screaming, that sort of thing."

I quirk an eyebrow. "It's not too late. I was an actor in high school, I can do a pretty convincing scream if you want."

She giggles. "Thank you, honey, but it wouldn't be the same if you forced it." Strolling towards me, she reaches out and strokes the side of my face gently, causing a shudder to run through me. "You do look oh-so-tempting tied up like that, though. I could just eat you right up." She runs her tongue over her lips, and looks me up and down with a kind of predatory lust.

I clear my throat. "As lovely as that sounds, we do have a dinner reservation in about thirty minutes, you know."

She sighs. "Don't worry, I remember. I wouldn't miss our first official date in the outside world." Her eyes light up as she says the words, and she turns away for a moment. "Our first official date..." she repeats, surreptitiously glancing over at me.

"Not that I'm complaining," I venture, "But what's got you so excited? I thought you preferred stay-at-home dates. That's what we've done so far, and I know how much of a homebody you are."

She shakes herself and attempts to regain her composure, but I notice a hint of blush creep into her cheeks. "Excited? Me?" She brushes the thought away with a wave of her hand. "I'm just glad to be taking my honey out for a night on the town. Should be a nice change of pace."

After a moment of silence, I fidget a little and ask "So, you gonna let me down from here?"

~~o~~

It takes us a good fifteen minutes to get changed, mostly because we kept eying each other up and couldn't help but take five minutes for a quick half-naked make-out session in the middle of it. My back up against the wall, her hands greedily exploring every inch of my skin she could get them on, our lips fighting for dominance. Eventually, though, both of us are suitably gussied up and we're heading out the door.

I glance over at her, and I try to be all suave and subtle about it but my eye catches and holds on her and I can't look away. She just looks so damn beautiful in her black dress, the silky garment hugging her curves in all the right places but not too revealing, with lacy frills around the shoulders and neck. She combed her hair back and used fancy clips to hold it in place, and the look is accentuated by long black gloves, with the fingers removed to accommodate her claws. She also has modified lacy thigh-highs on all eight of her legs, but I'll be damned if I know where she got them.

She sees me looking and smirks, hooking an arm through mine, although her spidery lower half makes her even taller than my impressive height.

I dressed up for the occasion as well, in a gray suit with a pale purple shirt. Rachnee tells me it looks good on me, and I value her opinion more than anyone else's. I'd slicked my hair back, and trimmed the faint stubble on my jaw, just to look the best that I could for her.

She's trying to hide it, but I can tell something about the date has her excited. I feel her arm shaking very subtly, little tremors every so often that she's clearly trying to suppress. And she can't stop smiling. When she notices me looking she manages to tone it down to a slight smirk, but I'll catch her out of the corner of my eye with a huge grin pulling up her cheeks. Frankly, it's adorable. I make a mental note to ask her about it again later. She might be more talkative when we're both wearing a bit less clothing.

I climb into the driver's seat of the truck parked in our driveway, sticking the key in the ignition and twisting. Rachnee can't fit in ordinary cars, for obvious reasons, so we had to get a little creative when looking for a method of transportation. She tells me that she's ridden in the back of large delivery trucks for long journeys, but just for around town we settled for a pickup, since it was more within our price range and I had never driven anything larger before.

She clambers into the back, and raps on the back window to let me know she's settled. I've offered several times to buy some sort of cover for it or get some sort of harness installed, but she's turned me down every time. Apparently she likes the wind, and her spider legs make it much easier for her to hold on. I still drive extra-carefully and take it slow around corners when she's in the back, though.

I can't lie; I'm pretty excited too. It'll be my first time taking her out, getting to show her off and be with her in public. The world is starting to accept non-humans like her, but a lot of people are still scared of Arachne. But I don't care what other people think. As far as I'm concerned, I'm just taking a beautiful girl out for a nice dinner at a fancy restaurant, and just maybe flaunting her a little bit. All the other guys should be jealous.

Taking a breath to try and slow my heart a little, I shift the car out of park and start down the driveway.

~~o~~

We have to park across the street, because the lot in front of the restaurant is way too small and already full. I walk around to the back, and offer her my hand even though she doesn't need it. She takes it gracefully, climbing out of the back of the truck and favoring me with a chaste peck on the cheek. I smile up at her, and look for a crosswalk.

I can already feel the gazes of people walking by. I can feel their fear and disgust like bugs crawling over me, and grip Rachnee's hand a little tighter as we walk out into the crosswalk. She glances over at me, and I shake my head wordlessly and smile at her. I don't want to think about those idiots right now. It's just her and me, and nobody else in the world matters.

Walking into the restaurant, I'm immediately struck by the design of it. It had been advertised as non-human-friendly, which is why we picked it, but I just assumed that meant they accepted customers of all races. But no; the door was big enough that Rachnee could fit through fairly comfortably, the ceilings were high, the aisles between tables were wide, and I could see specialized chairs for various races.

We check in with the host and, after a brief wait, he escorts us to our table. Instead of a chair, they brought Rachnee a cushion to sit on, and she curled her legs under her, sinking down onto it and looking quite pleased.

After a moment, our waitress approaches. "Good evening, and welcome. My name is Michelle. Can I get you two started with something to drink?"

Rachnee picks out a red wine, although the name and year goes over my head. I order a root beer with no ice, and the waitress moves off.

Rachnee leans forward on the table, and I see her eyes glittering in the dim light. "You look nice in that suit," she murmurs. "But I think you'd look even better out of it."

I snort. "Where'd you learn that one?"

She smirk. "I found a book full of them. Really, though, you acted skeptical when I picked out that shirt for you but it really compliments your skin color." She unfolds her napkin, laying at across one of her legs, and asks "So how's the book coming?"

I shrug. "Got past the first chapter, finally. Your little therapy session the other day really helped with my writer's block."

It might just be the dim light, but it looks like her cheeks flush a little. "I told you, you just needed to relax," she says. "I'm glad I could help you with that."

We sit there for a long moment in comfortable silence, lost in each other's eyes. I lose all track of time, staring into those warm pools of crimson, and jump a little when the waitress set my drink down in front of me. She smiles, and looks back and forth between us before asking "Are you two here on a date?"

"No, we were just making goo-goo eyes at each other to pass the time," Rachnee jokes. I had made the mistake of lifting my cup to my lips, and nearly choke on my drink, setting the cup back down before I spill it. I cough into my napkin a few times, then fold it and return it to my lap, sitting up straighter and trying my best to look dignified.

The waitress is doing a good job of restraining her laughter, but I can see it twinkling in her eyes. "Well, I think that's cute," she says, and both Rachnee and I blink in surprise almost simultaneously. "Humans and non-humans should get along better than they do. I'm always glad to see young people in love come in here, regardless of what race they are."

This time I know for certain that Rachnee flushes. "In..." she starts, then breaks off and coughs politely, then takes a sip of wine. "So, uh, what are you thinking of eating tonight?" she asks me, deftly changing the subject.

I look down at the menu. "The barbeque chicken sandwich sounds pretty good."

The waitress makes a note. "One barbeque chicken sandwich... and for you, ma'am?"

Rachnee thinks for a moment, then shrugs. "I'll have what he's having."

~~o~~

As we're on our way out, Rachnee pulls me to the side right outside the front doors and kisses me, hard. Her grip on my arm is firm and assertive, her lips rough and needy. There's a jolt in my chest at being this intimate in such a public place, but I can't deny it feels good.

After we break apart, I look up at her and raise an eyebrow. "I didn't think alcohol affected Arachne the same way it does people."

She shakes her head. "It's not the alcohol. I..." she breaks off, and looks away for a moment. "I want everyone to know about us. I've spent all my time so far in this country hiding. Other non-humans have it easier... the fluffy ones and the cute ones, the ones that everyone likes. I decided a while ago that I didn't care what anyone else thought. But in there... when we could be ourselves and be together and be open about it... it felt good. I'm done hiding. I want everyone to know that you're mine and I'm yours."

My chest feels warm, and a smile starts spreading uncontrollably over my features. I rest my hand on her hip, feeling the curve of her supple flesh, and look up into her eyes. "That's exactly what I was thinking. I wanted to show you off. I'm so happy to be with you, I want everyone to-"

She interrupts me with another kiss, and with a start I realize she's crying. I didn't even know Arachne could cry, but there are tears trickling down her face. I put a hand on her cheek, and murmur "What's wrong?"

She shakes her head. "They're happy tears, you idiot," she whispers. "Nobody's ever said..." She trails off and reaches up, daubing at the tears staining her cheeks, then starts again. "That's what I was excited about before. I hoped you felt like that, but I didn't want to assume."

I take one of her hands, feeling the chitinous skin of her arms hard and smooth as our fingers thread together. She looks down for a second, suddenly shy - which I find both adorable and odd, coming from the woman who had all but attacked me in the bedroom the other day - and I lay my other hand on top of hers. "Have you never had a boyfriend before?" I ask.

She looks up, our eyes meeting. "Not one like you," she replies. "I've had... lovers. Flings. Brief affairs that can be measured in days or even hours, for no purpose other than... physical gratification. It's how most people see Arachne, and in truth it is how we are encouraged to be. The mistrust and fear with which we are treated by other races has hardened us, and... for a while, I pretended not to care about emotions, about loyalty. So that's the way that everyone treated me. I've had sex with people who's names I didn't even know, but before now I never had anyone get dressed up to spend time with me, or take me out on a date, or kiss me like you do."

She's blushing, but shows no signs of stopping. "Nobody ever just sat and held my hand and talked to me, or cooked me dinner like you did the other night, or laid out on the roof at night with me and watched the stars. Nobody ever really cared about _me_ \- they just wanted my body, or wanted to feel good and I was convenient." She leans down a little towards me. "But you... you're different."

Her free hand reaches up, laying as gently as a butterfly's wing on my cheek, and she whispers "I don't know how this happened, but I never want it to end. And I want the world to know how happy you make me."

I feel like I might be on the verge of breaking down myself. My heart is fit to burst, and I can't keep the huge grin off my face. Wrapping my arms around her waist, I pull her in for a hug, burying my face in her chest and feeling her arms coil around my shoulders.

Suddenly realizing where my face is, I lean back, flushing bright scarlet. "I- uh- sorry," I stammer, and she giggles, then pulls me in and shoves my face right back where it was before. I was going to make a romantic speech back at her, and I can't very well do that with her ample bosom muffling any sound I try to make. Not that I'm complaining, as to be honest I can't really find any problems with this situation.

"You don't have to say anything," she murmurs. "I know it all already. I can tell just by the way you act every day, how happy you are to see me after we've been apart for any length of time." Her voice drops and becomes a sultry purr as she adds "And I like you just where you are. Although there's a little too much clothing in the way. What do you say we get somewhere a little more... out of the way?"

I try to respond in the affirmative, but all that comes out is a muffled grunt.

Pulling away from me, she demurely takes my hand and smooths out her dress. I clear my throat, and venture "So... home?"

She smirks. "What, not feeling adventurous?"

I shrug. "I mean, if you have other ideas, I'd be happy to hear them."

She licks her lips. "Oh, honey, I have lots of other ideas..."


	3. An Old Friend

I wake up with cold sweat glistening on my forehead. My heart is racing, my eyes wide, my breath fast and shallow. I jackknife upright in bed, staring around for a moment before the disorientation fades.

It was just a nightmare. But... what was it about? The memory is already fading. I remember running from something... or rather, trying to. My muscles were unresponsive, my legs sluggish, my feet rooted to the ground. I rub at my temples, grasping at fragments that are quickly slipping through my fingers.

"Bad dream?" Rachnee murmurs from above me. I look up to see her hanging from the ceiling, looking at me with a worried frown. "You were thrashing around. I couldn't decide whether to wake you up or not."

I manage a smile. "Thanks, sweetheart, but I'm okay." She's started sleeping in my room recently, although she can't fit in the bed so she makes a nest in the rafters.

She ghosts down towards me on a line of silk, settling gently on top of the bed. "Come here," she says, extending her arms toward me. I throw the covers off of myself and stand up, the mattress sinking underneath me. I walk towards her and she scoops me up in her arms, then makes for the ceiling again. I'm always surprised by how strong she is - something about her spider half makes her much more physically powerful than you might expect from looking at her.

"You're sleeping up here with me for the rest of the night," she says, kissing my forehead. I make no objections, relaxing into her arms and resting my head on her shoulder. She hums softly to me as she settles into her web, then lays me gently next to her. The silk is soft and not as sticky as I was expecting, giving a little under my weight like a hammock. All in all, it's actually quite comfortable, especially when Rachnee settles down beside me and takes one of my hands in hers. "I'll be right here if you need me," she says, and I can see her eyes glittering in the darkness. "I'm not going anywhere tonight."

I smile. "You're the best," I mutter sleepily, and her beautiful red eyes are the last thing I see before I drift back off to sleep.

~~o~~

When I wake up the next time, it's a slow, gradual rise to consciousness. After a minute of half-conscious dozing, I blink open my eyes to see Rachnee sleeping soundly next to me. Her hand is still resting on top of mine, although our fingers went limp while we were asleep. I smile, rolling onto my side to face her and watching her sleep for a moment. Her pale hair has fallen across her face, and I reach out to brush a few strands of it out of the way.

She stirs at my touch, murmuring softly, and groggily opens her eyes, blinking a few times before focusing on me. "Good morning, beautiful," I say in a voice still rough from sleep.

She leans forward, sleepily kissing me, and replies "I could get used to hearing that from you every morning, you know."

I rest a hand on the bare skin of her side, and smile. "I could get used to saying it to you every morning." Breaking off to yawn, I add "Sleeping up here with you was nice. I didn't have any more nightmares, and your webs are pretty comfortable."

She purrs and climbs on top of me, running her hands gently down my chest. "Maybe you should do it more often, then." I sit up and kiss her again, threading my fingers through her hair and holding the back of her head. One of her hands moves down further and further, trailing over my skin and coming to rest on the heat between my legs. She palms the bulge in my briefs gently, causing me to arch my back up into her and purr into her lips.

Breaking away for a moment, she nibbles gently along my jawline and whispers "Your seed tasted so good last time... I don't want to spill a single drop." I shudder, reaching up to caress her bosom, but she grabs my hand and pins it to her web. Shaking her head, she purrs "No no, honey. We can get to that later. Right now I just want one thing."

I feel her slide my briefs down to my knees, and then she turns around and dives down onto me, taking my length in her mouth. I buck up into her, moaning softly, then notice what's directly above me. She isn't in the habit of wearing clothes to bed, and with the way she's standing over me, crouched low to reach, her glistening core is right over my face. It's already wet, and I curl my hands into fists in her web, arching my back and making helpless sounds of pleasure as she continues her ministrations.

Leaning up as much as I can, I take one of my hands and slowly, gently start making little circles around her entrance. She whimpers around my shaft, then drops it out of her mouth and looks back at me. "Honey, what-"

I interrupt her by slowly slipping a finger up inside her. Her walls clench as if they're trying to squeeze the life out of it, and a breathy moan escapes her lips before she goes back to what she was doing before. As she adjusts to the one finger I slowly add a second, sliding in and out with a slow rhythm, giving her time to stretch out a little.

She rubs the base of my rod with her palms, looking back at me again and mewling "Hoo~neeyy... please..." She bites her lip, her eyes liquid heat. "Taste me..."

I had already wanted to, but hearing her say it in _that_ voice, I couldn't resist. She lowers her abdomen to make it easier, and I grab her to pull myself up towards the dripping prize hanging above me.

She tastes good, better than I was expecting even. It's hard to quantify - not sweet, not bitter, just undeniably _her_. I lap it up greedily, and happy little cries spill from her mouth as she continues to stroke me, then my manhood is enveloped in warmth again. Latching onto her swollen bud, I lick in quick circles around it as her muffled cries grow higher in pitch and intensifty, then suckle hard. She twitches convulsively above me, breaking away and screaming my name as her juices trickle down my chin.

"Not fair..." she murmurs, licking at the tip of my member and causing me to twitch. "I was supposed to make you do that."

I chuckle, reaching back up to touch her again, but she turns so that part of her is out of reach. "It's my turn for a treat now," she purrs, and dives back down, swallowing me until her nose bumps my stomach.

I buck up into her, grabbing at the back of her head and gasping. She starts bobbing, her skillful tongue working me over, and it isn't long before I start to feel it again. The need for release. That sinful, wonderful pressure building inside me, threatening to burst out at any moment. "Oh, Rachnee..." I murmur, and she hums around my length. "I'm almost there..."

She doesn't let up, doesn't even slow down as I fall back against the web, mind going blank as I explode deep inside her eager mouth. I am conscious of nothing else for a long moment, hips twitching occasionally as she makes sure I'm completely clean.

Crawling up towards me, she strokes my face and murmurs "I can't decide which I like more - when you do exactly what I tell you, or when you break the rules." We stare at each other for a long moment, her smooth hands gently caressing my bare chest. I melt under her gaze, her eyes fixed on me with a tenderness I'd never seen directed at me before.

After a moment, she clears her throat and looks away, blushing. "We should probably get down from here, shouldn't we? Wouldn't do to just lay about all day."

As tempted as I am to stay up there with her forever, I grudgingly agree. She carries me down on the web, and kisses me one last time before setting me on the floor. I glance back up at her web, and point to it. "Uh, sweetie, you left my briefs up there."

She winks at me. "Oops."

I shake my head, crossing my arms and looking her up and down. She's still not wearing anything either, and it's a damn fine sight, if I do say so myself. She looks like she's about to say more, but suddenly her eyes go wide and she gasps, putting a hand to her mouth and asking "Honey, what's the date today?"

I blink. "Uh... the sixteenth, I think. Why?"

She drops her head into her palm, and I hear her muttering "Damn it, I'm such an idiot..."

"Hey," I venture, reaching out and putting a hand on one of her legs. "What's up?"

She sighs. "I got a message the other day from an... old friend of mine. Sam. He's going to be passing through the area and said he wanted to stop by for a visit... today. I meant to run it past you earlier, but then..." she blushes, and idly brushes a few fingers down my stomach. "I got... distracted. And I just didn't think of it again until now."

I frown. "Sam, huh? Who is he?"

"He's a bit like you, actually. An artistic type. I think he's working as a graphic designer for a big-name company now. He can be a bit... blunt, but he has a good heart, and he was the only one who actually tried to make friends and stayed in contact with me after..." she trails off, looking away.

I raise my eyebrows. "After...?"

She clears her throat, turning away. "He's probably going to be showing up some time in the early afternoon. Is that okay with you?"

I think for a moment, then shrug. "Sure," I say. I can't really say no... I didn't even know she had friends from her life before, but if she does, then far be it from me to keep them apart.

She looks back and smiles at me. "Thanks, honey."

"Yeah, no problem," I reply.

~~o~~

The two of us sit down to lunch together - a batch of burritos that I whipped up - and I can sense the tension radiating off of Rachnee. Did her and Sam part on not-so-great terms or something? She picks half-heartedly at her food, and won't look me in the eye. I can't shake the feeling that something's going on, but I trust her enough not to pry.

I'm in the middle of cleaning up from lunch when I hear a car pull into the driveway. Tossing the last of the plates into the dishwasher, I walk to the window and look out. Sure enough, there's a navy blue four-door sedan parked in the driveway. Rachnee walks up behind me, and says in a controlled voice "Well, that's him alright."

We walk out onto the front porch, and Rachnee grabs one of my hands in a fierce, possessive way. She's so distracted and grabs me so hard that one of her claws bites into my palm, and I hiss in surprise and pain. She glances over and lets go with a gasp, recoiling when she sees the trickle of blood. I shake my head, clasping my hands together both to hide it from view and to stop the bleeding, and we both look back into the driveway as the car door opens and a man steps out.

I guess Sam to be somewhere in his late twenties or early thirties. He's wearing gray jeans, a button-up and a blazer, with a pair of sunglasses that look expensive perched on his nose. His blond hair is neatly combed, and I think I see the edge of a tattoo peeking out from his collar.

He grins and waves, calling out "Hey, Rach! Long time no see!"

I quirk an eyebrow, and mutter "Rach?"

Rachnee waves back, almost tentatively. "Hi, Sam!"

He makes for us at a half-jog, taking the porch steps two at a time and walking up to us. "And who is this?" he asks, gesturing at me.

Rachnee opens her mouth to introduce me, but I beat her to it. "Her boyfriend," I say, perhaps a little more forcefully than I intended, and unclasp my hands, hiding the cut one behind my back and extending the other one.

Unfortunately, I didn't really think it through, as that hand is sporting a blood smear on the palm. Sam looks down at it with a frown. "Dude, you hurt yourself or something?"

Rachnee blushes and looks away, although thankfully Sam doesn't seem to notice. I take my hand back, and say "Yeah, I did. I didn't have time to wash up before you arrived."

Sam shrugs, then turns to Rachnee and changes the subject. "So, Rach, how've you been? I haven't seen you in... what, a year?"

"Not quite," Rachnee says, with a half-smile. "But close. And I've been doing well, thank you. Got a new place to live... as you can see."

Sam glances at me. "This guy here been treating you well?"

Rachnee huffs. "That is none of your business, but for your information, yes he has."

I look back and forth between the two of them, trying and not entirely succeeding to keep the puzzlement and worry off my features. Rachnee had brought him up as an 'old friend', but clearly there was more going on here. Sam seemed perfectly friendly with her - too friendly, even - but Rachnee was tense and uncomfortable. I could see it in the way she was standing.

There's an awkward pause, then Sam says "So, you gonna invite me in or are we gonna stand out on the porch all day?"

Rachnee looks at me. I shrug, and say "Sure, come on in."

A few minutes later, we're all gathered in the living room. I'm sitting on the couch, Sam in the recliner, and Rachnee is standing in the middle of the room, looking like she can't quite decide where to be or who to look at.

After a moment, Sam nods in my direction. "So, 'boyfriend'," he says, "What do you do?"

It takes me a moment to decide how to phrase my reply, and Rachnee beats me to it. "He's an author," she says, and I glance over at her. She's smiling for the first time since Sam showed up. "He just got his first book published last month."

Sam grins. "A fellow man of the arts, I see. Nice to meet you - never enough of us, it seems. I'm surrounded by more technically-minded people at my job. It gets stifling, let me tell you."

I catch his gaze flick to Rachnee for a moment, and there's some unreadable emotion in his eyes that I'm not sure I like. "How long have you two been together?" he asks.

"Not that it's any of your business," I reply, leaning forward and resting my arms on my knees, "But, officially, about a week and a half now. Although we've known each other for months."

Sam nods idly. "Hey Rach," he says, turning to look at her, "What have you been up to recently? I haven't heard from you in a long time."

"There was an issue with my last host family," she replies. "That's when I moved here. Since then, I've been settling in, helping out around the house, occasionally hunting for dinner." I smile distantly, remembering the first time I walked out onto the porch to find a little web cocoon dangling from the awning. We'd had rabbit stew that night.

The two of them continue making small-talk, and I frown in thought, looking between the two of them. Sam seems perfectly nice. Maybe a little too forward sometimes, but a nice guy. And actually, now that I think about it, a bit similar to me in appearance and personality, other than his tendency for bluntness. Why is Rachnee acting so uncomfortable around him?

I'm broken from my thoughts when Sam snaps his fingers. I twitch in surprise, and turn to see him looking at me with a slight smirk. "Hey, buddy," he says, "Daydreaming?"

I smile sheepishly. "Sorry, spaced out. Did you say something?"

He leans back in the chair, and says "How'd you two meet?"

Rachnee and I share a glance, and I say "Actually, we met at a clothing store. An employee was giving her a hard time, and I asked if I could help. The employee left, apparently deciding his job was done, and I helped solve her problem."

Rachnee smiled. "He was the only person I'd met in a long time who didn't seem to care that I was Arachne. He took time out of his day to help a complete stranger, and a non-human at that. I could tell he had a good heart. We had lunch together after leaving the store, and traded contact information."

Sam chuckles. "That's a pretty good story, actually. Romantic. I think I still have one up on you, though, bud."

I raise an eyebrow, the competitive side of me raising its head. Ordinarily I tend to be pretty chill, but when Rachnee is involved... "Oh yeah?" I ask, straightening my spine a little. "How's that?"

Sam glances at Rachnee, who looks uncomfortable. "Judging by the look she's giving me right now, I think your ladyfriend would rather I not talk about that."

Rachnee clears her throat. "So! Who wants ice cream?"

~~o~~

There's more conversation after the ice cream, and I catch Sam casting a few glances at Rachnee when he thinks I'm not looking. I don't want to jump to conclusions, but I'm beginning to have my suspicions about how the two of them met.

At last, it's time for Sam to leave, and after opening the door he turns around and says "Oh, Rach, I'll be staying in this area for a few days, actually. If you want me, you know where to find me." He walks out and closes the door, and I turn to look at Rachnee. She's looking back at me with something between relief and apology in her eyes.

"So," I say, walking over to her, "How _did_ you and Sam meet?"

She looks down, sees my cut hand, and her eyes go wide. "Oh no, I forgot!" She cries, looking stricken. Taking me by the wrist, she starts leading me towards the kitchen. "Honey, I'm so sorry I did that to you. We need to get it cleaned up so it doesn't get infected."

I allow myself to be led, and she sticks my hand in the sink and runs cold water over it for a moment. It stings, but it's nothing I haven't done to myself before. She gets the softest washcloth she can find and starts cleaning the area, murmuring quietly to me every time I wince.

Once she's satisfied, she gets some antiseptic and kisses me on the cheek. "This might burn a bit, honey," she warns, and I smile reassuringly at her. Sure enough, it does burn, and then she wraps my hand with ace bandages before raising it to her lips and kissing it.

"All better?" she asks.

I take her hand, lacing our fingers together. "All better," I confirm. "But you didn't answer my question."

She fidgets. "Which one?"

I raise an eyebrow. "You know which one. How did you and Sam meet?"

She looks me in the eyes. "Promise you won't get mad? Or jealous?"

My other eyebrow follows my first. "Is it that bad?"

She sighs. Squeezing my hand a little, she says "Sam was... the first man I ever laid with. My first affair."


	4. Camping Confessions

Watching a movie while suspended in mid-air is a new experience, and not an unpleasant one. Rachnee spun us a large hammock of sorts from her silk, and I'm lying half on that and half on the lap formed by her palps. She has one hand on my chest, and is idly stroking my hair with the other.

We're watching a horror movie together - her idea, although I was willing enough. It's a newer one, and not as bad as I was expecting it to be. It's about a serial killer hunting down his latest victims in a Louisiana bayou as they're out camping. Why they decided to go camping in a bayou is beyond me, but the movie is decent.

It finishes with a relatively happy ending, with only one out of three major characters ending up dead. Although of course they never find the killer's body, because they have to leave it open for the possibility of a sequel.

Rachnee brushes some hair out of my face. "That wasn't bad," she says.

I murmur in agreement, grabbing up the remote from the web next to me and turning off the TV. "Better than I was expecting," I reply, sitting up and stretching. It's late evening, since we did dinner and a movie as a stay-at-home date. Outside the windows it's dark, and appropriately enough, it looks like a storm is rolling in.

Rachnee leans over and nuzzles into the side of my neck. "You know, I haven't really gotten to go hunting in a while," she murmurs. "Just haven't had many good opportunities, and there are too many houses around here. All I've caught since we started dating are two rabbits."

I lean into her. "Thinking of taking a trip somewhere?"

"Mm-hmm," she replies, holding me close with an arm around my waist. "You could come with me. It would be so romantic."

I smile, and tilt her head up towards me to kiss her. Our lips have barely met when Rachnee's phone starts ringing.

And yes, she has a phone.

Muttering under her breath, she moves over and snatches it up, looking at the Caller ID. She blanches, and glances over at me. "It's Sam," she says.

I blink. "What does he want?"

She shrugs. "I have no idea." Thumbing the 'talk' button, she holds it to her ear, and says "What's up?" There's a pause. Hesitantly, she says "Nnno, we're not doing anything tomorrow... why?" Another pause. "You're doing what? And bringing friends along? I... no, that sounds nice... okay, I'll get back to you. Thanks. Bye."

She hangs up, and turns to look at me. "He's going on a camping trip with some friends tomorrow, and wants to know if I - or we - would like to come along."

I shrug. "Well, you were just talking about wanting to get out somewhere." I have my own reservations about Sam, but I don't feel like sharing them. I won't lie and say it doesn't make me jealous that he got to be her first time, but I'm not going to be one of _those_ boyfriends. I trust her.

She frowns. "That I was. Are you sure you're okay with it?"

I smile. "Rach, if you're okay with it, I'm okay with it."

She walks back over and hugs me, kissing the top of my head. "Thanks, honey." There's something unreadable in her eyes... she's clearly thinking about something. I almost want to say planning.

"So," I venture, running a hand up her side. "What do we need to get packed?"

She hums in thought for a moment. "Our tent - we have a tent, right? - some food, bottled water, one or two changes of clothes."

"And a flashlight," I add.

She nods. "Right, of course. I can see just fine in the dark, and I sometimes forget you humans can't." After a moment, she reaches out and takes my hand. "Come on, let's get down from here. We need to start packing."

As she helps me down from the web, I can't help but wonder what this trip is going to be like. Stuck out in the wilderness with Rachnee's ex-lover. And some friends of his, whoever those are. I'm beginning to wish I had said no, but it's too late to back out now. All I can do is hope for the best.

~~o~~

The next day brings nice weather, at least. It's bright and sunny but not too hot, with a gentle breeze and just a few white wisps of cloud in the sky. I'm driving the truck again, with Rachnee and all our camping supplies in the back, following a map that we'd found and printed out.

It's about noon when I pull into the little gravel lot next to the campground. I climb out and help Rachnee down from the bed of the truck, and we both grab a couple bags and start walking. A brief trek through the woods later, we come out into the campground proper, a large clearing right next to the shore of a big lake. The water is smooth and deep blue, glittering in the midday sun.

I immediately spot Sam, setting up what looks like a grill and some patio furniture in the middle of the clearing. There are three other people who I don't recognize; two other humans, a man and a woman; and, to my momentary surprise, a Lamia. They're all in the process of setting up tents, but stop when Sam sees us and calls out "Hey, guys! There you are!"

My hands are full of bags, so Rachnee puts a hand on my shoulder and squeezes gently. But this time, she's careful of her claws, fortunately for me. Sam approaches us, posse in tow, and when he gets close he says "Everyone, this is Rachnee and her boyfriend... what did you say your name was?"

"I didn't," I say. I hadn't meant for it to come out quite that harsh, but something about his tone and the way he said the word 'boyfriend' put me on edge.

Rachnee clears her throat, and asks "So, Sam, who are your friends?"

Sam chuckles, giving me a sideways look before turning and gesturing to the others present. "These two are George and Alice, and the lovely Lamia is Talia. George is her host family."

George tips his ballcap, and says hello with a heavy Southern twang in his voice. Alice waves, but says nothing. Talia grins, and says "You two are together? That's adorable!"

I blink in surprise, but before I can say anything Sam gestures and they all move back to what they were doing before. Apparently introductions are over.

I turn to Rachnee. "We should probably get our tent set up."

She nods, and sets the bag containing it down on the opposite side of the grill from Sam's. The two of us open it up and wrestle with it for a moment before figuring it out. A few minutes later, the tent is up, and I briefly wonder if it's big enough. We had bought the largest size they had, but Rachnee still might have a bit of trouble moving around in it.

We move the bag with our clothes into the tent, and leave the food and equipment bags in a pile out in front of it. Just as I'm feeling proud of a job well done, Sam's voice sounds from behind us. "Well, well. Sharing a tent, are we? I do hope you're not planning on keeping the rest of us awake tonight."

I make a point of not looking at him, because I'm pretty sure my face is bright red. From somewhere behind me, I hear George laugh, Alice make a noise of disgust, and Talia giggle.

Rachnee stiffens, and I look up to see all six of her eyes narrow. I don't know if I've ever seen her get angry before, and in all honesty it's equal parts frightening and attractive, although the second part might just be because she's defending us.

Suddenly, she turns me to face her, grabs my face in her hands, and kisses me, hard. I feel four pairs of eyes boring into us like power drills, but Rachnee doesn't seem to care. She's giving it her all, and I can't help but melt into her lips, my hands involuntarily reaching up to her sides.

When we break apart at last, I glance over to see that Alice is gone. Sam is standing unmoving, arms folded over his chest, looking at us with some unreadable emotion in his eyes. George has busied himself with finishing setting up his own tent. Talia, however, is looking at us with her hands clasped in front of her and the kind of expression that I would expect from someone looking at a basket full of kittens.

Well, I'm glad someone appreciated the show we just put on for them.

"Don't give them any mind," Rachnee murmurs. "I don't care what they think."

"I can see that," I reply just as quietly. "And it's damn sexy."

~~o~~

The rest of the day passes mostly uneventfully. Rachnee goes off into the woods to hunt, Sam and George decide to do some fishing, and Talia and Alice stay around the camp and swap stories. I'm only half-listening, as I brought my sketchbook with me. I'm sitting on a flat rock near the shore, idly drawing characters from my latest story.

The time passes quickly, and almost before I know it the sun has stared to sink behind the trees. I'm startled from my reverie by a gentle tap on the shoulder, and turn to see Rachnee smiling down at me. "I hate to interrupt you when you're drawing, honey, but we're getting set up for dinner."

I snap the sketchbook closed, standing up and giving her hand a little squeeze. "Thanks, babe," I reply, and she leads me back into the camp. Everyone has pulled up chairs and is sitting around the grill, on which George is cooking up what I imagine to be the catch of the day. I see a few fish as well as what looks like a rabbit that was probably Rachnee's work.

"Find much?" I asked her quietly as we approached.

"A couple rabbits and a deer," she replies. "But that last one was too big to cook on the grill, so I let it go."

George looks up as we approach, and grins. "Hey, 'boyfriend', do you prefer fish or rabbit?"

I smile back, and think for a moment. I'm not much for seafood, and I've had rabbit stew once before, also thanks to Rachnee. "Rabbit, please," I say, and take a seat when Rachnee motions to a chair.

"Do you eat everything she catches?" Sam asks from the other side of the fire. "I hope she at least cooks them for you first when you're at home."

I'm about to stand up, but Rachnee's hand on my shoulder stops me. "He has only once before tasted something that I caught... but he eats something else of mine all the time." A smirk curls up one corner of her mouth, and she adds "And does a damn fine job of it, too."

I freeze, hoping the dim light will obscure my blush. George fakes a cough, and Talia openly giggles. Sam quirks an eyebrow, leaning back in his chair. "You've always been forward, Rach, but that might be a little too much," he says.

I'm thinking something similar, to be honest. She's not acting herself, although I'm not going to complain. Something about this trip has her on edge, and it's like she's trying to assert the fact that I'm hers and she's mine. Which, I'll be honest, is kinda hot.

I just wish she would warn me before dropping a bomb like that.

George finishes cooking up the food and we all get paper plates and load them up with the meat of our choice. Rach and I get bottles of water and bags of snacks to accent the meal from our bags of supplies, and we all sit down to eat.

"So," I ask with a piece of rabbit on my fork, trying to make small-talk, "What do you all do?"

"I'm a mechanic," George says. "I fix up cars."

Alice takes a drink before replying. "I'm in college, but not for much longer. Studying architecture."

Talia still has the biggest smile on her face. "I'm here on a homestay, so I'm not really doing much else. What about you?"

"I'm an author," I reply simply, and take a bite of my food. The rabbit doesn't taste bad at all, especially with whatever sauce George had cooked it in. I make a mental note to ask him about that so I can pick up some when we get back home.

We eat and talk for a while, although neither Sam nor Alice says much unless it's to respond to a question. The former is paying a little too much attention to Rachnee for my liking, and the latter occasionally glances back and forth between Sam and Rachnee with a frown. Talia asks how Rachnee and I met, and we go through the whole story about the clothing store again. George goes on about his business repairing cars for a while, although I confess to zoning out half-way through.

At last, the food is all eaten, the trash cleaned up and put in bags, and the grill stowed for another day. We bid our goodbyes to the rest of the group and everyone heads for their tents.

As I thought, Rachnee has a little trouble fitting in ours, but she manages, and I don't mind getting cozy with her at all.

I was not expecting to be practically attacked as I climb in after her, though. She grabs me and drags me the rest of the way in, zipping the tent flap closed and climbing on top of me. She nearly rips my shirt as she pulls it off over my head, then crashes our lips together, her hands roaming over my bare torso.

After a moment, she comes up for air, and I ask "So, not that I'm complaining, but what brought this on? You're not usually _this_ aggressive."

She replies by kissing me again, and in a moment my hands are bound with silk cords. "Rachnee," I mutter, my voice muffled by her lips, "Hold on for just a second, would you?"

"Why?" she asks in a husky whisper, breaking away and popping open the button on my jeans. "Don't you like it?"

Her hand slips inside the opening she made in my pants and squeezes lightly, and my breath hitches in my throat. "Y-yes, of course I like it," I mutter, and she leans down, kissing my chest, her tongue lightly flicking out and tasting me. I arch up into her, unable to control myself.

"Then what's the problem?" she murmurs, her breath hot on my bare chest, and sits up straight. Her free hand starts unbuttoning her shirt, revealing inch after inch of smooth, pale flesh.

"I would just like to know what's-" - she interrupts me by squeezing her hand again - "Ah-... what's going on."

"Nothing's going on, honey," she coos, crawling up and kissing me again, gently this time.

I raise an eyebrow. "I know you well enough to know that's not true."

She looks away for a moment. "It's just... being out here with Sam..." she pauses, and my heart sinks, "It makes me want to-"

"Hello?" comes the last voice I want to hear right now, from just outside the tent. "Rach, are you in there?"

I lean my head back onto the ground, muttering obscenities under my breath. Rachnee buries her face in my chest for a moment, then takes a deep breath and sits up. "What is it, Sam?" she asks, almost but not quite managing to keep the frustration out of her voice.

"Can we talk for a minute?" he asks.

She frowns. "What? Why?"

"You've been acting uncomfortable ever since you came out here," he says. "I just want to clear the air, make sure everything's okay."

She sighs, and rubs at the bridge of her nose for a minute with a pained expression.

"You don't have to," I whisper, but she shakes her head.

"No, I should," she says, reaching around and cutting the silk binding my wrists. "He's right, this is something we should talk out or it'll be hanging over our heads the whole time."

Sitting up as much as I can while sharing the tent with her, I ask "Do you want me to come with you?"

She sighs, and kisses me on the forehead. "Thank you, but no. This is something we need to work out on our own. Wait right here, I promise I'll be back soon." She buttons up her shirt and I slip mine over my head as she opens the tent flap and crawls out.

~~o~~

I stand at the shore of the lake, looking out over the darkened expanse of water and feeling very conflicted. I had resolved to try not to get jealous, but my girlfriend just walked off into the woods with her ex, saying that they had to resolve something on their own and not telling me what it was.

I mean, I trust her, but it still hurts, and I find myself wishing I knew what it was that they were talking about.

I idly kick a loose stone into the water, and watch as the ripples slowly fade away. I try to make my mind go blank, but being interrupted like that has a way of making one fidgety.

"Where were they off to?"

I jerk in surprise, and turn around to see Alice standing behind me, hands in her pockets.

She nods toward the woods. "Sam and your ladyfriend. Where were they going?"

I shrug. "Rachnee said they had something they needed to talk about - on their own. She didn't say what, just that she'd be back soon."

Alice walks up to stand beside me, looking out across the lake. After a long moment, she asks "Do you trust her?"

I blink in surprise. "Yes. Yes, I do. But I've been trying to think of what they might be talking about that I couldn't be present for, and nothing good is coming up." I sigh, nudging another loose stone with my foot. "They used to be lovers, you know. He was her first."

Alice grunts. "I assumed it was something like that." There's another moment of silence, and then she says "...I like Sam. _Like_ like. I've known him for a few years now, and I was hoping that this trip would be a way to get closer to him. But it looks like he has other plans."

My heart twists. "Don't say that. I'm sure Rachnee would never-"

Suddenly, we're interrupted by a voice that I immediately recognize as hers. " _NO!_ "

My heart leaps into my throat. "Stay here!" I say, a little more harshly than I meant to, and sprint for our tent. Tearing open the duffel bag next to it, I snatch up the flashlight and charge into the woods in the direction the cry had come from.

"Rachnee?" I call out, sweeping the trees with the beam of the flashlight. "Sweetie? Where are you?"

There is no reply. I almost trip over roots several times, and after a minute I come to a halt, staring around in a near-panic. I don't want to get too far away from the camp for fear that I might not be able to find my way back, but I don't want to leave Rachnee alone out there with Sam.

I turn and look back towards the light of our camp that I can still see through the trees, and chew on my lip in worry for a moment. What should I do? What happened between them? With her size and strength, not to mention her claws and ability to spin webs, she's more than capable of defending herself, but... she might have held back for fear of hurting him. Even if she doesn't necessarily like him, there's clearly still some emotional connection there.

I nearly jump out of my skin when someone puts a hand on my shoulder. Whirling, I come face-to-face with none other than Sam. The worry in my chest boils over into rage, and I drop the flashlight, grabbing him by the collar with both hands. "What the _fuck_ did you do!?" I snarl in his face.

He holds up his hands in a placating gesture. "Whoa, whoa! Hold on a second! I can explain!"

I let go, but don't relax. "Then start talking."

He smooths out his shirt, and says "Look, buddy, I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this but it's something you should know. Your ladyfriend Rach has... a messy history with love."

"I know," I cut him off. "She told me that she had several lovers before, and that you were the first. Got anything else?"

He nods. "Unfortunately, yes. You see... she kept coming back to me. She was attached and couldn't let go. She tried to leave many times, but each time, like clockwork, she'd come running right back to me. I don't even know how many times she's found some new piece of meat, then abandoned him and fled back to me. Even if she doesn't want to admit it, I'm the one she really needs."

"Bullshit," I spit, taking a step closer.

"It's true!" he insists. "I lost count after about half a dozen. I don't even know how many times we've fucked. I know _all_ of her weak spots, just how to make her scream-"

I've heard enough. I take another step towards him, and I'm about two seconds from slugging this asshole across the jaw, and he must be able to tell somehow because he takes a step away. "Okay man, whoa, I won't go into the details! Be mad at her, not me! She's been stringing you along, hasn't she? She didn't tell you about me, did she?"

I stand there fuming for a few moments, then reach out and grab his wrist. "Come on," I growl. "You're coming back to camp with me, and I'm going to get the truth about all this."

~~o~~

When I walk back into camp, Rachnee is the first thing I see. She's running around, looking in tents, peering into the woods, and looks more panicked than I've ever seen her. "Honey!?" she calls out, and my heart twists at the worry in her voice. "Honey, where are you!? Damn it, why didn't you wait here like I told you?"

"I'm right here," I say, in a voice calmer than I feel. She whirls around, and her face lights up when she sees me, but then her eyes track past me to Sam and she recoils.

"Sam," she says in a small voice, "What did you tell him?"

"He deserved to know!" Sam shoots back. "You didn't think you could hide it forever, did you?"

Rachnee's eyes are glistening, and it looks like she's fighting back tears. "Honey..."

I walk over to her, and take one of her hands in mine. She meets my gaze with wide eyes, and I say "I doubt he told me the exact truth. I want to hear your side of it."

She pulls me into a nearly-crushing embrace, sniffling into my shoulder. After a moment she lets me go, and both of us notice at roughly the same time that the other campers have gathered around and are watching.

Rachnee takes a breath, looks me in the eye, and begins. "When I met Sam... I was in a dark place. I was barely an adult, and I'd fled my home as soon as I was able to. I'd been living on my own, without friends, without anyone to rely on... and then he came into my life. He was the first person to be - or at least _seem_ \- genuinely nice to me."

She looks down for a moment. "He took advantage of my loneliness, my naivete and my Arachne upbringing, and... took my innocence a week after we met, in the bathroom at a bar. The feeling of being physically intimate with someone after being alone for so long was... intoxicating. At first, it was carefree. No strings. But then I started getting attached... and that scared me. So I ran."

Her lip is trembling, and it looks like she's having a hard time holding it together, but she keeps going. "He followed me. I don't know how, but about a year later he ran into me again, and... I couldn't say no to him. Again, and again, and again he would come back into my life, whether by fate or dumb luck or him hunting after me I don't know. His hold on my feelings, on my body's wants, was too strong. I was too afraid, too lonely, thought too poorly of myself, to ever say no."

She looks up at me, and her eyes are swimming. I feel an overpowering urge to hold her in my arms, but I'm still not completely sure of anything and I want to hear how the story ends. She licks her lips, and continues "But then... then I met you, honey. Being with you felt completely different from anything that had come before. As soon as you held my hand and looked into my eyes, I knew that Sam had been nothing more than a fling that I was too young and lonely and stupid to give up on. So then here he comes again, invading my life again to try and get another fuck or two out of me... but not this time."

She takes one of my hands in both of hers. "You, honey, mean so much to me... what we have is much, much too important to me to ever do anything that would jeopardize it, and when I'm with you, I don't need anyone else. That's why I wanted to come on this trip, why I've been acting so strange, so aggressive. I wanted to prove to you that I'm yours, and prove to myself that I've grown up."

She leans in towards me, takes a deep breath, and blurts out "I love you."

I stand there for a moment, stunned, taking in everything that she had said. I look back into her eyes and find no hint of dishonesty there, just fear and regret... and love.

I turn slowly, fixing Sam with a glare that could have melted steel. In a low voice of deadly calm, I say "If I see you anywhere within a mile of her, you and I are going to have a problem. You understand me?"

He huffs and turns away, walking into the woods.

I turn back to Rachnee, who's looking equal parts worried and hopeful. I reach up and gently touch her face, brushing away a tear that's threatening to fall from her eye. I smile, and murmur "I love you, too."

She grabs my face and kisses me, hard. I wrap my arms around her and pull her closer, and she breaks away and nuzzles into my shoulder, holding onto me like she's worried I'm going to float away. I look around and see Alice watching Sam leave with a stricken expression, George drinking a beer and trying not to pay attention, and Talia looking at us and clapping like a happy toddler.

Holding Rachnee close, I say quietly "I don't blame you for anything, sweetheart. Sam's the one I'm mad at. He took advantage of you when you were at your most vulnerable, and I don't even want to think about what that must have done to you. I'm just so happy that our relationship means enough to you for you to finally break the cycle."

When Rachnee hasn't let go or moved in several seconds, I start rubbing her back and murmur "So, uh, how about we go back to the tent now?"

She pulls away from me and nods, but takes one of my hands and doesn't let go. We start heading for the tent, and someone clears their throat from behind us. We both turn to look, and Talia is standing there.

"Don't worry," she says with a wink. "I'll make sure nobody bothers you."


	5. Dances With Spiders

**A/N: Sorry for the slight delay, everyone! My brother came to visit after a long time away, and I've been spending most of my free time hanging out with him. Hope you didn't miss me too much! Also, I'd like to give a big thank-you to the people who've taken the time to leave such nice reviews. MickDunD and Mr Beaver Buttington, you two are awesome. And whether or not you've reviewed, favorited, or followed, even if you just happened across my story out of boredom or curiosity, I do hope you're enjoying reading it.**

 **Anyway, on with the show!**

 **~~o~~**

It's been about a week since the camping trip, and we haven't heard a thing from Sam... which is just fine with both of us. I've made some good progress on my book, and Rachnee has started looking for work she can do in the area. A lot of places aren't too sure about hiring a non-human - especially one of the less-fuzzy ones, although they don't want to say it out loud - and I've tried to tell her that she could make a good bit of money selling clothes made from her silk, but she gets shy whenever I bring it up.

 _She has gotten even better at weaving snares, though,_ I think to myself as I stand in the dining room and look at the woman hanging from the ceiling.

There's silk threads over her mouth, so I can't really understand what she's trying to say, but I think I know the gist of it. "Hang on," I say, turning and opening the top drawer of the desk, rummaging around for a moment before pulling out a box cutter. "I'll get you down from there in no time."

I have to climb up on a chair to get the cords around her wrists, and after freeing those I start working on the ones suspending her from the ceiling. Before I cut the last one, I ask if she's ready. She nods, and I slice through it. She drops to the ground, managing to catch herself somewhat gracefully. After she recovers, I hand her the box cutter and she removes the rest of the threads herself.

"What the hell kind of greeting is that?" she asks once her mouth is finally free.

I shake my head. "Sorry. She does that to me all the time." Turning, I call up the stairs "Rachnee, that was the kind of snare you're only supposed to use on me, remember?"

"But ho~neeyy," comes the reply from the bedroom, "If I don't practice, how can I make sure I give you the very best?"

The woman quirks an eyebrow. "Do I want to know why there's a special kind of snare that she's only supposed to use on you?"

I grunt. "Probably not."

"Right," the woman says, rubbing at her wrists. "So, this is actually kind of appropriate. I'm Katrina, from Thomas Clothiers. We saw your, uh... houseguest in our store the other day, although she left before we could talk to her."

I take the box cutter back from her, and stash it in the drawer where it came from. "And you decided to hunt her down, huh?"

Katrina shrugs. "Not many Arachne around this town. They tend to make an impression. And, as I'm sure you know, clothes made from Arachne silk can fetch quite a price."

"I've tried to broach the subject with her before," I reply, offering her a seat at the table. "She gets weird when I bring it up, though. Blushes and changes the subject."

Katrina sits gratefully, and I take the chair across from her. Just then, Rachnee comes down the stairs with an expression of amused curiosity. "My, are you two talking about little old me?"

Katrina hastily stands back up, and says "Good afternoon, Miss..." she glances at me, "...Rachnee?"

Rachnee chuckles. "Rachnera or Rachnee, whatever strikes your fancy."

Katrina nods. "Rachnera, then. How much did you overhear?"

Rachnee shrugs. "You're from a clothing store and want to sell expensive Arachne-silk clothes."

"That's about the size of it," Katrina acquiesces.

Rachnee glances at me, and a little touch of pink colors her cheeks. "Well... I'm afraid I can't take you up on that at the moment," she says. "Perhaps later, I would be interested, but not just now."

I raise an eyebrow, but say nothing. Katrina stands up, and lays a card on the table. "There's my business card," she says. "Call me when you're ready."

As Katrina walks out the door, I turn to Rachnee. "So, are you ever going to tell me why you don't want to sell clothes? It'd make a pretty penny, I'm sure."

She sighs. "In Arachne culture, hand-made clothes created from your own silk bear a... special significance. I've never made clothing for anyone but myself before, and I was hoping that my first set... could be for you."

I blink in surprise. "Rachnee, I... I would be honored if you made clothes for me. Is that the only thing holding you up?"

"Well," she says, her palps twitching nervously, "I was going to save it for a, uh... special occasion."

I take one of her hands in mine. "Whenever you're ready. There's no rush. I just want you to be happy, that's all."

She leans forward and pecks me on the cheek. "You're way too sweet," she murmurs.

"Watch out," I joke with a wink, "You might get cavities."

~~o~~

"We're going to a what?" I ask, one eyebrow climbing up my forehead.

"A dance," Rachnee says, positively beaming. "I signed us up last week."

I briefly wondered how she was going to be able to dance with eight legs. I certainly couldn't help her, since I didn't know how to dance myself. "I've only danced, like... one time," I say, rubbing at the back of my head. "I'm pretty sure I'd just embarrass myself."

"Aw, come on," she says, ruffling my hair. "We can learn together, honey. Isn't that a thing that couples do? Dinner, dancing, a steamy makeout session in the back of the car, maybe a little hot sex in a parking lot somewhere?"

I feel my cheeks flush. "What movies have you been watching?"

She leans in and nibbles at my ear, causing my entire body to stiffen. "I promise you'll enjoy it. Besides, don't you want to strut your stuff and make all the other girls jealous?" Her eyes flash, and her hands start roaming down my sides. "I know I want them to be jealous, because they can't have you. You're aaallll mine." The emphasis she hangs on the last word makes me shiver, and she lightly kisses my neck.

"Okay, okay, you win," I give in, raising my hands in surrender. "We'll go to the dance. Do we need to get dressed up?"

She shrugs. "I didn't really pay careful attention to the dress code, but we might as well look our best."

I turn for the stairs, but she slips past me and gives me a gentle nudge away. "Ah-ah-ah, one at a time today, honey. I made a special little something to wear under my dress, and I don't want to spoil the surprise."

~~o~~

I pull up and park the truck in front of the building, climbing out and turning to help Rachnee out of the back, like usual. The parking lot was poorly lit, and for a moment all I saw were her six red eyes glittering from the darkness. In a flash, I was on my back on the ground, with her straddling me and her breath hot on my neck.

"You look delicious," she purrs, and I squirm a little as I feel her warm, supple tongue on the skin of my throat.

"Save it for after the dance?" I suggest, and she giggles a little, sitting up and putting a hand on her hip.

"Don't tell me you're getting shy," she teases. "I remember the night after our first time out on the town. You can't fool me."

I smirk up at her. "I was under the impression we came here to dance, though. But if you'd rather just skip to the horizontal tango, I won't complain."

She climbs off of me, and helps me to my feet. "Oh no, honey," she murmurs. "I wouldn't miss this for anything."

We walk into the building hand-in-hand, and the young woman manning the desk in the front room glances up as we enter. Her eyes widen a little, and she ventures "Uh... are you two here for the dance?"

I walk up to the desk with a smile. "Yes, we are. She sighed us up," I nod towards Rachnee, "So it should be under her name. Rachnera Arachnera."

The woman glances down and flips through some papers, then nods. "There it is. I thought that was an unusual name. It's not very often we get extra-species to come to our events... even less so with human partners." She writes something on a list in front of her, then smiles and says "You can head on in now."

The dance hall is spacious but not huge, with a smooth wooden floor and one entire wall covered in mirrors. _Great, so now I can be even more self-conscious._ There are a few other couples already in the room, and I feel their eyes on us as we walk in. I take Rachnee's hand and squeeze it, daring anyone to make a comment.

I feel her breath on my ear as Rachnee whispers "You're pretty hot when you get all assertive, you know."

A few more people trickle in as we wait, and then at five past the hour the woman from the front desk walks in. "Hello, everyone," she says, and the low murmur that had filled the room falls silent. "Thank you for coming out tonight! It's great to see so many new faces, and familiar ones too. I know we're all going to have a lot of fun together."

And, to my pleasant surprise, we do. I had been expecting judgment and derisive comments and snickering, but everyone is nice enough, although only one other person ends up dancing with Rachnee. Not being a particularly social creature, I take the opportunity to go hit up the drinking fountains, and come back just in time for the song change.

Learning to dance with an eight-legged partner was a challenge, but I think I'm figuring it out. Rachnee is quite nimble for her size, so it doesn't seem to be a problem for her, but it's hard to follow her steps in the dances she leads.

After a while, in a break between songs the woman from before - who I take to be the leader - speaks up. "Our next song is for all the couples who are with us tonight. If y'all could come out to the middle of the dance floor?"

I wrap an arm around Rachee's waist and the two of us walk out onto the floor together. There are three other couples, and I feel several pairs of eyes on us. I guess they hadn't realized that we were a couple until now.

The music starts, and it's a slow song with a bluesy rhythm. Rachnee and I start swaying to the beat, stepping slowly and looking each other in the eyes. My hand on her waist strays down just a hair, and she pulls me a little closer.

She can't really do turns without her abdomen knocking me over, so we have to get a little creative when it comes to dance moves. But even if we look a little ungainly, just being this close to her, our motions in synchrony, looking deep into her eyes... it's like nothing else exists. I forget about the other people in the room, and even the music is simply background noise. Every motion is sensuous and intimate, her skin smooth and warm under my fingers, her hand on my waist gently pulling me slowly closer.

I almost don't notice when the music ends. The voice of the dance coordinator snaps me back to reality, but we stay holding each other as she speaks.

"We have time for one more song, folks, and then it'll be time to head home. I'd just like to thank you all for coming out tonight, and I hope you had as much fun as I did!"

The electricity in the air between Rachnee and I is palpable. That last dance was nearly magical, and her lips are looking extremely kissable right now. She leans closer, and my hand strays up and rests lightly on her cheek.

Suddenly, someone clears their throat behind me, causing us both to twitch in surprise and snap back to more innocent positions. I turn around, and my gaze lands on the dance coordinator. She's standing with a hand on her hip, looking at us with a knowing smirk.

"Save it for tonight, lovebirds," she jokes.

I feel my face burning, and I open my mouth to apologize when Rachnee drapes an arm coolly across my shoulders. "Sorry about that," she says. "That last song you played was just so romantic, we couldn't help ourselves."

The dance coordinator giggles, and says "Glad to know you liked it. I don't mind a little lovey-dovey on the dance floor, but the way you two were looking at each other I figured clothes would start coming off any minute, and that's not something I should allow at this kind of event."

~~o~~

Rachnee's lips are warm and soft on my neck, her fingers threading through my hair and my hands on her back, pulling at the fabric of the dress she was wearing. My back is up against a wall, my mouth opening in a silent moan as she suckles and nips gently.

She licks gently at the tender spot she just left on my neck, and my voice shudders a little as I say "You j-just love giving me those, d-don't you?"

She purrs, nibbling on my earlobe. "I love seeing them when I look at you. They remind me that you're mine." Her breath is hot on my ear, her voice husky. " _Aaallll_ mine."

I shiver, my back arching up into her as my hands involuntarily pull her closer. "God, you're sexy when you're possessive," I murmur, and one of her hands slips down between us, pawing at the bulge in my slacks.

"I quite enjoyed dancing with you," she coos, her other hand trailing lightly down my jawline. "It almost made me feel like a normal girl. Nobody else has ever made me feel like that."

I lean up and kiss her. "You're you," I say quietly. "You don't need to be anything else. I love you for exactly who and what you are."

Her hand on the side of my face pulls me closer, and she kisses me back, hard. After a very long moment, she pulls away and whispers "I love you too. And..." she takes a step away, reaching around behind her back and throwing me a wink, "I want to show you that special something I mentioned before."

I lick my lips as she takes a hold of the zipper in the back of the dress and starts slowly, sensuously drawing it down. The front starts slipping down, exposing inch after inch of smooth, pale skin, and...

My breath leaves in a gasp as the dress falls away. Rachnee blushes a little, clasping her hands and fidgeting. It's very rare for her to get shy, and it's absolutely adorable.

"So..." she ventures, tilting her head slightly to the side. "What do you think?"

I'm speechless for a long moment. She's wearing a white lacy negligee that hugs her curves in all the right places, the patterning so intricate I can barely take it in. It's so beautiful, and looks so good on her, that for several seconds words fail me.

At last, I manage "Rachnee... I... did you make that?"

She nods. "Just for you. Do you like it?"

When I can't find the words, I like to substitute actions. Taking a step forward, I put my hands gently on her sides and kiss her, gently but passionately. The undergarment is soft and smooth under my fingers, and I give her hips a gentle squeeze.

Breaking away after a long moment, I whisper "Does that answer your question?"

She giggles. "I guess it does."

She turns and starts walking away, looking back at me over her shoulder, her eyes full of unspeakable promises. I'm not sure what game she's playing at, but I move to walk after her. After a few steps, my foot catches on something, and the next thing I know I'm hanging upside-down from the ceiling, arms bound behind me, soft threads covering my mouth. I immediately recognize the snare, and idly squirm to test the strength of the bonds. Her silk gives a little, but I know from experience that it's just to ensure my comfort and they are, in fact, much too strong for me to break. She wasn't stingy with the bindings, but I'm surprisingly comfortable for being upside-down and suspended in the air.

 _What do you know_ , I think to myself, _I guess her practicing really does pay off._

Rachnee walks up to me, her eyes glimmering. "All wrapped up like a present, just for me," she purrs, reaching out and toying with my waistband. One finger slips inside and the button on my slacks pops open. "I wonder how long you'll last tonight..." she muses, slowly drawing open my zipper. "Maybe I'll keep you tied up here, so we can have even more fun later. Again, and again, and again... you'd like that, wouldn't you?"

She pulls my slacks out of the way, kissing gently at the bulge in my underwear. "You just relax, honey," she purrs, and slips one strap of her negligee off her shoulder. "I'll take _good_ care of you."


	6. Epilogue

**A/N: And here we are, at the very end of this story. I hope everyone enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it! I have a couple more stories in planning right now, so I'm not going to disappear entirely. Currently planned are two more romances, although perhaps different in format and style. As to who is in them, well... I won't spoil the surprise.**

 **Anyway. Thank you all for coming with me on this wild ride, and I hope you enjoy this epilogue!**

 **~~o~~**

Rachnee lets me down gently. For someone who can be so dominant, who might appear cold to an outsider, she can be very tender when she's with me. She kisses me softly on the forehead as she cuts the silk binding my arms and legs, and with what little energy I have left I snuggle into her chest.

Holy hell, she drained me this time. I'm exhausted and more than a little sore, but it's a good kind of sore, the kind that reminds you of all the fun you had to get that way.

"I think that might be a record," she purrs between breaths. She might be hiding it better than me, but she's worn out too. I love hearing her voice break as she drives herself to ecstasy on me over and over.

I mumble something in the affirmative, and she giggles, rubbing gently at my back and settling down into her silken nest. "You're so much fun to play with," she coos. "And you're such a good sport about getting tied up all the time. I appreciate that."

Lifting my head and meeting her eyes, I smile and manage to say "I liked dancing with you tonight."

She flushes, and her smile takes on an altogether different quality. "I did too," she says in a small voice, and brushes a bit of hair out of my face. "Even if I had a hard time figuring out the steps. Having eight legs can be a pain sometimes."

"I wouldn't change a thing about you," I say, half sitting up and leaning up against her. "I love you just the way you are."

She kisses my cheek. "You're too sweet. Also probably still high on sex."

"I mean it." I run my fingers through her hair. "You wouldn't be you if anything about you was different."

We sit in comfortable silence for a long moment, then she says "You know, this is the first time I've gotten attached to someone and not run away. I haven't felt the urge even once. You make me feel... comfortable. Happy. Wanted. These... aren't thing I'm used to feeling." She looks into my eyes, and adds "Do you think this can last?"

"For as long as we both want it to," I reply with a smile. "And I want it to last forever."

She kisses me then, gently. A kiss full of possibilities and promises, hopes and dreams. There, on the cold floor in a spider's web with a woman who could easily kill me if she wanted to, I feel more at home than I ever had before I met her.

"Forever," she repeats, after we come up for air. "That sounds just fine to me."


End file.
